Andalite
The Andalites are an advanced race of centaur-like aliens. They are the primary race fighting the Yeerks and are known throughout the galaxy for their advanced technology. Andalites Physiology The Andalites are centaur-like, with their lower body similar to that of an Earth deer and a torso similar to that of a human. The males' entire body is covered in blue fur and the females' in bluish-purple fur, which becomes slightly tan coloured as they get older. (Estrid-Corill-Darrath had blue-and-tan fur, though Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan was depicted with purple fur.) Their arms, somewhat weak in comparison to that of a human's, end in seven-fingered hands, which, while weaker, are nimbler as well. The head of an Andalite has a set of almond-shaped eyes, as well as a pair of stalk-eyes that endow them with 360-degree vision. They have a nose-like organ which features three vertical slits. Their sense of sight is similar to that of a human's, though their stalk eyes can see slightly further into both the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums. The other most notable feature of the face is the lack of a mouth. They eat by crushing grass under their hooves and absorbing the nutrients.1They can even close their hooves whenever they want to stop the absorption of grass.2 They communicate by way of telepathic communication called Thought-speak. It is known that Andalites usually have three hearts and two lungs. They also have a gland found in the back of their heads called a Tria gland, which keeps diesase-carrying organisms away from the rest of their body. They evolved as prey animals, but they developed a very formidable defense: a scythe-like blade on their long whip-like tails. The shorm, which literaly means Tail Blade, as known in the Andalite language,3 is smaller in the females, more like a scalpel4 and their tails are weaker as well. This bladed tail is long enough to reach well in front of the Andalite to strike deep blows in an opponent. The tail is also an important symbol in Andalite culture, and is frequently referenced to in sayings and rituals. The tail is so important, an Andalite would rather die than live on without it.5 History Andalites are grazers, originally herd animals, and are accustomed to open plains. Claustrophobia is a deeply ingrained trait in Andalites, and they loathe enclosed spaces. At one point in their development, they began their transition into herd animals, and formed small groups, similar to a family. A single tribe formed at an unknown point in their history. Very primitive, they didn't have name for themselves. At one point, the Ellimistdisguised as an Andalite helped them advance, even giving a name for their race, known as Andalite. At some point he left, but his influence is still strong, albeit he is considered a fairy tale, and referred to as a race with some what malevolent qualities. Soon, families joined together, forming small communities. Then, as their society advanced, they grew closer and closer together, forming dense cities. Eventually, they decided that this wasn't a good idea, and nobody liked the proximity, so they broke the cities down and moved apart into small, family-based 'scoops' once again. Homeworld The Andalite homeworld is simply called "the Andalite homeworld," and it is vaguely described in several books of the series. The number of stars is not specified, but it seems to be more than one as whenever an Andalite star is mentioned, it's in plural. It has been specified that the planet has four moons. The planet's sky is coloured red and gold. The Andalite homeworld is 82 light-years from Earth. Technology Andalites are very technologically advanced, and boast of a vast knowledge of science. They have several notable developments, primarily Z-space technology. Z-space engines allow a ship to travel through Z-space, an entirely blank, void, white space, and exit again some distance away, shortening travel time immensely, and working around the limitations on faster-than-light space travel. Z-space transponders work similarly, allowing one to communicate through Z-space, similar to radio transmissions. Next, the ships themselves deserve note. First, there is the standard fighter ship, which has short stubby wings and a Shredder gun slung over the top, fashioned to mimic the raised Andalite tail, which is posed as a threat or challenge. Next, there are the vastDome ships. These ships are the main transport ships for fighters and crew. The 'Dome' portion is an entire ecosphere, complete with atmosphere, grass, and water to sustain the Andalites on-board,so that the Andalites can carry their homeworld wherever they go. These ships can host many fighters, and generally only one Dome ship is called out for an entire battle, with the occasional need for two, and the rare necessity for three. All Andalite ships are equipped with Z-space flight capacity, and shredder guns. The shredders on a Dome ship are rumored to be capable of punching a hole clear through a moon. During Book #18: The Decision, Ax sees a pair of Andalite subs at the City of Worms on the planet Leera. He also recognizes destroyed Andalite skimmers on the Leeran battlefield on the main continent. Morphing Technology : Main Article: Morphing The last technology of note, and a recent development at that, is the morphing power, obtained via the Escafil device, a small blue cube. Morph-capable beings are capable of 'acquiring' any animal, absorbing their DNA, and then at any time 'morph' that animal, physically transforming into that creature. The technology uses cascading cellular regeneration, combined with a variant on Z-space technology, in order to make the transformation.6 It typically takes about two minutes to morph, and if one stays in morph for more than two hours, they are stuck, becoming a Nothlit.7 A Nothlit can never return to their original form, or morph, again. While in morph, one is still capable of thought-speak. One also has the drawback/advantage of being confronted with the morphed creature's mind and instincts. This proves very useful for using the body and functioning at its peak, but it also proves to be a struggle when you first enter the morph, and also whenever you go against the creature's desires (eg: a cat attacking a mouse, etc). Interspecies Relations The Andalites have many relations to many different species outside their planet. They are usually well-known for being 'good-guys', spreading enlightenment and aid wherever possible. However, an example that severely mars the reputation of the Andalites, and simultaneously jades many Andalite minds to their own culture as well as outside species, is Seerow's Kindness, an Andalite law that states no Andalite can ever reveal technology or secrets to other alien races.8 Prince Seerow was one of the first Andalites stationed on the world of a newly discovered species, the Yeerk homeworld. In their natural state, Yeerks are blind, defenseless slugs. They were capable, by some odd fluke of evolution, to enter into the brains of other species, interface, and control them. They had done so already with the pitifully weak species on their own world known as the Gedds. Even so, they were never really aware of anything beyond their small, homeworld, natural pools. Seerow felt sorry for them, and aided them. He taught them technology and showed them the stars. He even built them portableKandronas, enabling them to leave the Kandrona-rich pools sustaining them. In gratitude for his aid, the Yeerks attacked the Andalite outpost, and slaughtered the minimal guards (who had been specifically instructed by Seerow not to fire on Gedds), as they did not yet know to infest Andalites, stole the Andalite fighters on the ground, and escaped to space, but not before returning to the far side of the planet to stock up on their brother Yeerks. Then, with numerous pools full of Yeerks, they left to conquer the galaxy. Since then, the Andalites have been battling against the Yeerks, trying to prevent them from taking over more innocent worlds. They have already taken over numerous species, including the cannibalistic Taxxons, and their ironically herbivorous shock-troops, the Hork-Bajir. The problem was that there are simply not enough of these troops. So, the Yeerks are now after the humans, hoping to gain the sheer numbers to burst out in every direction and subdue numerous races, and eventually take the Andalite homeworld itself. It is worth noting that the diminished numbers of the Yeerk's Hork-Bajir troops is due to the genocide of the Hork-Bajir by the Andalites. A Quantum Virus was developed for the sole purpose of eliminating all Hork-Bajir in order to weaken the Yeerks. Although this action was ratified by the Andalite Council, it is was kept hidden from the Andalite public as well as the Hork-Bajir resistance led by Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan and Dak Hamee. It is due to this disregard for 'lesser' species that Dak and the Hork-Bajir resistance distrust both Aldrea and the Andalite military. Wars Andalites have fought one major war: The Yeerk War. During it, they have fought on numerous planets, such as Anati, the Hork-Bajir homeworld, Leera, and to some extent, Earth. This war started when a task-force of Gedds attacked an Andalite outpost. They easily overpowered the Andalite guards, and took two transports and four fighters. They invaded the Hork-Bajir Planet, and unexpectedly found an attack by a joint force on a Yeerk Pool by Hork-Bajir and Genetic monsters. After that, they fought a long fight with the Hork-Bajir Army. After a long, hard fight, a small fleet of Andalite ships arrived. Led by Alloran, it had Eight fighters, one repair ship, one resupply ship, and two transports. Besides the stray patrol ship, they were on their own. The Yeerks had forty-thousand Hork-Bajir, a blade ship, fourteen fighters, Dracon beams, and groud bases. The War ended when Alloran let loose a virus designed to kill Hork-Bajir. No book says what happens from The Hork-Bajir Chronicles to The Andalite Chronicles. But an Andalite attack on the Taxxon homeworld by Elfangor, Alloran, and Arbron is for certain. They cause minimal damage, but Arbron is stuck in Taxxon morph to live out the rest of his days. A battle between a group of living asteroids, an Andalite Dome ship, and the Yeerks also happened. Society and Culture Andalite government, headed by the Electorate, functions on honor and respect, pride in culture as well as self. However, these noble characteristics are accompanied by others that may be surprisingly backwards to the eyes of supposedly inferior species: arrogance, inflexibility, sexism, and an atrocious attitude towards the disabled, whom they call vecols and treat as outcasts. As the chain of command works down, one eventually reaches the basic, personal leadership role: Prince. Every warrior is supposed to have a prince. Some princes work under a War-Prince. Princes can have more than one aristh, or cadet, under them, often many more, but every warrior is expected to report to one, and only one, prince. Traditionally, males serve in the military, with females in the research sciences and technology. A few were unhappy with this arrangement, notably Aldrea-Iskillion-Falan, who despite being female, wanted to serve in the military to fight the Yeerks. It is unknown if the mandate was related to the Andalites' troubled experience living in cities, but until very recently, Andalite couples were required by law to only have one child per couple. Elfangor states in the The Andalite Chronicles that "There were rumors soon they'd let families have three or four children, but I don't think it will come to that", and that the idea of having a little brother was a strange feeling. This piece of Andalite society may have been retconned, however, as Prince Seerow had two children before the Yeerk war in The Hork-Bajir Chronicles (which was published at a much later date than The Andalite Chronicles). It is worth noting that in The Message, Ax says that he was trying to reach his cousins (also that he was taught by his cousins about humans). It is possible that Andalites have largely networked families, but it seems unlikely that they were all located in the fleet, close enough to contact. It is possible that Andalites refer to each other, or those they see as comrades, as "cousins." An expression of surprise is briefly mentioned in The Andalite Chronicles that could possibly refer to a deity, "by all the bloody tails of Crangar", which is exclaimed by the captain of the StarSword when Elfangor unexpectedly (and unexplainably) appears on the bridge of an Andalite fighter. Rituals Rituals are very important to the Andalites. They have small rituals, which mostly involve reciting prayer-like words, at certain events. There is a morning ritual, a ritual for children, a ritual for dying in battle, and a ritual for avenging one who has died. Morning Ritual Evening Ritual Revenge Ritual Q - A - Q - A - Q - A - Q - A - Q - A - Forgiveness Ritual Edit Wish-Flower Ritual (full words unknown) Death Ritual